DOD civilian police officer accused of soliciting teen through texts

Virginia Beach, Va. – 39-year-old John Andrew Steele is behind bars after being arrested on two counts of the use of a communications device to solicit a minor for certain sexual offenses and two counts of production of Child Pornography.

Officials say the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a 17-year-old victim and her mother about online activity on Jan. 14th.

John Andrew Steele

The teen told police she met an adult online. She said they had several conversations which started back in December through text messaging.

Police say they were told the content of the conversations became sexually explicit and the adult asked the girl to send him nude pictures of her.

Police executed a search warrant at Steele’s home on January 23rd.

Investigators learned that Steele was employed by the Department of Defense as a civilian police officer at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth. Several items of digital evidence were recovered during the search.

Steele was arrested Thursday and is now in the Virginia Beach City Jail without bond.